


Lost and Found

by Anonymous



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:54:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29344689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: The Eboys become worried when Alex disappears for two days and isn't answering his phone. Somehow his coming back doesn't alleviate much of that worry.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 27
Collections: Anonymous





	1. to voicemail

Alex wasn’t answering his phone. It had been two days since the man had gone for a walk ‘to clear his head’, and two days since any of his friends had heard from him.

It was for this reason that James, Will, and George were gathered in the living room of George and Alex’s new flat. George’s eyes were lightly red rimmed, which the other two boys quietly overlooked.

“Maybe he’s just gone home.” Suggested James, not for the first time that evening.

George shook his head, “Nah, he would have said, he would have told me.”

“And he’d be answering his bloody phone!” Will said.

“Okay,” said James “Okay, so what do we do? Can we do anything? Is he even technically a missing person at this point? I mean he’s an adult.”

“Barely.” Snorted Will, out of habit.

“I’m serious. It’s not like we’re his fucking guardians or anything. And it’s only been two days.”

“It’s not like him, James.” Said George, “He doesn’t do this, he’s never just disappeared, not for this long. What if-”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the implication hung in the air, nonetheless. _What if something bad had happened? What if he was hurt? What if he was lying in a ditch somewhere?_

James cleared his throat “Well, so, what do we do then? Call the police?”

The others hesitated. Calling the police seemed like a drastic measure, especially after only two days had passed.

“Call him again.” Will said.

James sighed, “I’ve called him, like, twenty times, Will, he’s not picking up.”

“Call. Him. Again.”

James rolled his eyes and wordlessly went to Alex’s contact dialling the number again. The phone didn’t ring, instead going straight to voicemail.

_“It’s Alex, I’m probably asleep, sorry. Just text me, it’s not the 90s!_ **beep.”**

Will stood up very suddenly, “Right, so did he say where he was going? Where does he usually walk?”

George blinked up at him, “It’s not like I fucking follow him, is it, Will? He said he was going out, that’s it.”

“Think, George, he’s your best mate, where could he have gone?”

“I don’t fucking know, Will! Do you not think I’ve thought of everything I can?”

“Right,” James interrupted, “So one of us should wait here, and two of us should split up and go and look for him, yeah? There’s no point in sitting ‘round here having a go at each other.”

“…Yeah, alright.” George said, “I’ll go out, sick of being stuck in here anyway.”

“Right. Good.” Said James, seeming fairly surprised that his idea was agreed upon so quickly, “I’ll come with you. Will, wait here in case he comes back, yeah?”

Will sat back down at last, “Alright, just-” he took a breath “Call us when you find him, yeah?”

George gave him a tight smile, “Course we will.”

“He’s probably fine, right? We’ll have a laugh about this on the next podcast.”

“Yeah.” The others agreed, though none of them seemed convinced.

“Alright, come on then, George.” Said James, and they both headed out of the front door.

***

Will sat in silence on the sofa, unable to even distract himself with his phone. He found that the flat felt a lot emptier without Alex’s incessant waffling. He picked up his phone, then put it down. Then he picked it up again, opening up his last text messages with Alex.

** Al **

_anyway, i haven’t eaten yet lmao, I’m gonna go grab a snacc_

**Fascinating Alex Thank you**

**Wait, why haven’t you eaten? It’s like 10 p.m.**

**You good?**

_lol yh i’m good dw, just staying on that GRIND you feel_

**Gimp**

_xxx_

Will was ruminating on the fact that his final word to Alex may well have been ‘gimp’ when he heard the soft jangle of keys in the door. He sprinted to the front door, quickly ripping it open before the person on the other side could even finish unlocking it.

In front of him was Alex Elmslie, unofficial missing person, shivering and fairly bedraggled, but seemingly alive. Will took him by the shoulder, pulling him inside, and slamming the door, before finally getting a good look at Alex’s face. He eyes were slightly unfocused and carried heavy dark circles underneath them, his lip was slightly split and had a smear of blood coming from it.

Alex finally looked up properly to meet his gaze.

“Will?” he rasped, confusedly, before his eyelids flickered and his knees buckled, Will barely catching him as he passed out cold.


	2. Chapter 2

Will quickly deposited Alex onto the sofa before pulling out his phone and ringing George.

“He’s back. He’s here. Come back quick.” He said the second George picked up and the other man had barely acknowledged him before Will was hanging up and turning his attention back to his unconscious friend.

Will knelt down next to Alex looking him over worriedly. He was far paler than usual, a sheen of sweat present on his skin, and his breathing was slightly erratic. One of his legs was scraped up and bloody, gravel digging into the small wounds all the way up. It was then that Will noticed a thin, pink line right across Alex’s neck, not enough to cause permanent damage, but noticeable.

He unconsciously lifted his hand to push Alex’s hair back from his forehead in an act of comfort.

“Alex?” he whispered, “Al, what happened?”

Unsurprisingly, the boy didn’t reply, instead continuing to breathe unevenly, the rise and fall of his chest connoting panic rather than any actual restfulness. Will reached over to clasp his hand, gently stroking his thumb over Alex’s knuckles in what he hoped was a soothing gesture.

“You’re okay.” Will spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the boy further, but uncomfortable in the relative silence, “Everything’s okay, you’re safe, Al.”

It took longer than Will was comfortable with for James and George to return, they fell through the door about 20 minutes after Will had called them, both fairly out of breath.

“Where is he? Is he alright?” George said, before he and James spotted Will by the sofa and quickly made their way over.

Upon seeing their friend, James and George both gasped, James quickly leaning down to inspect Alex’s leg. Alex was trembling in place, but the noise seemed to be bringing him to consciousness, his eyelids slowly flickering open and his pupils shrinking defensively away from the light. His gaze fixed on his flatmate, who was perched on the opposite arm of the sofa, looking him over anxiously.

“G- George?” he managed, his voice hoarse.

The sound of his voice snapped Will into problem-solving mode, “Right. James, grab him some water, yeah mate? George, do yous have anything here to clean his leg up a bit?”

George blinked a few times before starting, “Uh- I think there’s a first aid kit in the bathr-”

Will cut in, stressed and slightly impatient, “Great, grab that for us will ya?”

The other two scrambled off, glad to have been given something helpful to do. Will turned his gaze back to Alex, running his free hand through Alex’s hair to coax him into consciousness.

“Hey, Al, look at me?” Alex sat up slightly, attempting to face him, “That’s it, love, you’re alright. We’re getting you some water, okay?”

As if on cue, James reappeared with a tall glass of water from the kitchen, handing it to Will as he finally relinquished his grip on Alex’s hand. Will placed one hand on the back of Alex’s head and used the other to slowly hold the glass up to Alex’s lips, prompting him to drink. He took a few sips, before making a small noise in the back of his throat and gesturing for Will to hand him the glass.

“Can do it myself.” He said, softly, sitting himself up and clasping the glass in both hands in a childlike manner. He began gulping down the water, a few drops leaking down his chin, quickly finishing the glass and allowing Will to take it off of him and set it down on the coffee table.

George hurried back into the room clasping a red first aid kit. He dropped down next to his flatmate shooting him a wobbly smile, “Hey, Alex.”

“Hi.” Alex responded, returning a tired smile of his own.

“Alex,” George started again, “What…What happened?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes this is a cliffhanger, what about it? i'm tired :(

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic lol. Let me know if you'd like to read more! :)


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